The present invention relates to a novel and useful structure for a sport bat.
Bats are typically used for hitting balls and other objects in sports activities. For example, in a baseball game a bat is used to hit a baseball thrown by a pitcher. Batters employing such bats require customized bats according to length, and weight, as well as to the shape. That is to say the dimensions between the gripping handle of the bat and the barrel of the bat used to contact the ball is altered greatly.
Many bats have been devised to reduce the danger of injury caused by a broken bat, typically manufactured of wood. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,603,904, 1,665,195, and 5,165,686 describe bats that have internal reinforcing rods along the length to strengthen the structure of a patent.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,801,098, 4,056,267, and 5,219,164 describe baseball bats having a combination of reinforcing rods and foam filling material inside the shell of the bat to absorb shock.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,948 illustrates a shock-absorbing bat in which an elastic connector, in the form of a spring within the chamber of the bat, is supported by a multiplicity of retainers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,255 describes a novelty bat which utilizes a central spring that extends from one end of the bat chamber to the other for the purpose of producing a sound.
A bat structure which allows the user to adjust the compression or tension of the wall of the bat would be a notable advance in the sporting field.
The present invention relates to a novel and useful bat structure.
The bat structure of the present invention utilizes a shell which is elongated along a dimension such as an axis. The shell has a first end portion which includes a gripping surface or handle. The shell also includes a second end portion opposite the first end portion and includes a contact surface, such as the barrel of the bat. Both surfaces comprise outer terminations of a wall portion, which forms an inner chamber of the shell. The wall portion of the chamber may be formed of metallic, composite, or other material normally used in a bat structure.
A first member is also found in the structure of the present invention and is employed to contact the first end portion of the elongated shell. Such first member may take the form of an enlargement at the end of the handle of the bat, commonly referred to as the knob.
The present invention also includes a second member which contacts the second end portion of the elongated shell, remotely from the handle of the bat, and immediately adjacent to the barrel of the bat. The second member may take the form of a cap having a profile to match the external contour of the second portion of the bat shell. It should be noted that both the first member and the second member may be affixed to the wall portion of the shell or be separable therefrom.
In any case, connecting means is employed for linking the first and second members together. The connecting means lies within the chamber of the shell and may take the form of a connecting rod. In one embodiment, the connecting means fixes to the second member and engages the first member directly or indirectly.
Means is also included for adjusting the tension on the connecting means to generate a pressure on the shell wall along the dimension of elongation of the shell. Such means for adjusting the tension on the rod includes a threaded portion on the rod which threadingly engages in a threaded element such as a nut or internally threaded bushing. The nut or bushing includes an end portion in the form of a fitting that may be engaged by a wrench or other tool to tighten or loosen the threaded interconnection between the rod and the bushing. In this regard, the second member may include a recess to permit the fitting to lie below the outer surface of the wall portion of the shell.
It may be apparent that a novel and useful bat structure has been hereinbefore described.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bat structure usable in a sporting event in which the rigidity or stiffness of the bat is adjustable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bat structure for use in sporting events in which energy loss is minimized upon impact with an article of play such as a baseball or softball.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bat structure for sporting game in which the stiffness of the bat is adjusted by placing the wall portion of the bat in compression through an adjustment mechanism.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bat structure for a sporting game which is capable of propelling a ball a further distance than a conventional bat.
The invention possesses other objects and advantages especially as concerns particular characteristics and features thereof which will become apparent as the specification continues.